Country happenings

 

Fresh blooms on my beautiful rose, The Lark Ascending.

This is a video, but it's not appearing on my video clips.  We had two nests of young House Martins launch themselves into the ether today.  They were so joyous in the air, and it was a delight to watch them.

At one point they came back to their nest but "perched" somehow hanging onto the wall below it.

This was a video too, of the flying ants leaving their nests and about to take off on their wedding flight.  Not so good as a still!

This morning I went blackberry picking, as it was wonderfully cool.  Picking a bit with rain but as I picked beside the reservoir at the Elan valley, it came on to rain.  I soon had sopping wet feet as it had clearly rained in the night too, and I was glad to get home and peel off my wet socks in exchange for dry ones.

Above the car park . . .

The fruit of my labours.  I will wash these and freeze them on a tray and they are a free, organic and healthy addition to my winter food stash. 2 1/2 lbs fruit.

Now I am off to put anti-itch cream on the nasty insect  HORSE FLY bites I got in the garden yesterday - my gardener was here to mow the lawn, which was shaggy on the cooler side of the house and standing hay elsewhere . . .

An improvement  . . .

Down in the doldrums - Fair report

 Not my finest hour.  I am at present contemplating if it is worth more investment, but I need to give the Unit the full 3 months and hope the next couple of Fairs might even things out.  Otherwise, a giant half price sale in the spring and draw a line under it all.  I said I was in the doldrums . . .  I worked out that the profit margins on what I paid for the 3 items I sold first thing (to other dealers) plus the couple of pounds on the ONE item sold to a walk-in customer for £9 (bought so long ago I haven't a clue what it cost, but probably four or five pounds) didn't even cover my pitch fee of £45, let alone the diesel for the journey.

Other folks' stands, as I know some of you like seeing them, and including some from the last Fair.

A really lovely Welsh blanket.  That won't have come cheaply.

Looks lovely, but I draw the line at selling used paint brushes and old paint spattered painting cans. . .  not me.

This friend always finds amazing things which the dealers drool over.

The French shabby chic look. Really lovely.  I don't channel this and don't cross the Channel to buy French stuff either . . .

Another fab old Welsh blanket from the last Fair.

Aren't they all lovely and original?  My purse doesn't run to potted plants for window dressing.  Wish it did.

The horse's head drawing is dated 1913, and the girl went on to be a Milliner (I researched her on Ancestry).  I have enjoyed it a good few years now, 10 I think.  Got it in Brecon Auction back in the day, but it is time to have less "stuff" and I thought a horsey friend was coming to the Fair and might have been tempted.  She didn't show.

I am hoping someone will buy my signed and boxed copies of Richard Bebb's amazing 2 volume opus on Welsh vernacular furniture.  He has missed nothing out and Keith and I used to love visiting his shop in Kidwelly.  When his books were launched, we went down to buy our set and get them signed.  Quite collectable now.  I no longer need to own them.  I will stick with Victor Chinnery's book about  oak furniture.  The stone next to the gloves is a serpentine carving from Zimbabwe.  I think Keith must have found it at an old boot sale in Carmarthenshire when we lived there.  A dust gatherer from his gran's dresser.  All the pieces to the left on the small stand are from a forgotten box from the stables.  


I unpacked the car this morning, did a load of washing and hung it out on the wooden clothes horses ("Maidens" is what they were called in Manchester) and have them all dry.  I've done the shopping, and read more of my book.  I made a Hungarian Goulash for my tea tonight, served with wholegrain, red and wild rice, plus runner beans I've grown in the garden.  They couldn't be any fresher.  Looking forward to my mini bottle of wine this evening.

My gosh, that hit the spot!

Aberedw and its history

 I will do a separate post for the church at Aberedw, later in the week.  Here are the photos from the castle remains and Llewelyn's Cave.  Trying to get back the excitement of the day, but am feeling quite depressed after my worst-ever Fair yesterday and the Microwave now being on the way out.  It would seem that this year it is money out all the time, and always in BIG chunks.  If I didn't have savings, my credit card bill would be enormous.

Sadly the castle which Llewelyn ap Gruffudd would have known was plundered for stone when the railway line went through so only the motte and bailey layout remain.

A lovely view from the top.

Everywhere is scorched by the endless sunshine.

A pair of Holly Blues on a Bramble flower.

Out of the wall below the church!  Remains of a Halloween celebration I'm guessing :)

Apparently it's half a mile to Llewelyn's cave - well, it seemed a lot further, and a steep hill on the lane and then quite a steep climb up to the cave.  We didn't push ourselves anyway.  Apparently Llewelyn's Cave was also inhabited by various religious hermits in the past, including in his time.

This would seem to translate into "we will rise again". . .

"In memory of Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales".

This was a much-visited place, and there was a lot in the way of graffiti initials and dates.

There was a Marian mark in the bit above . . .  The conjoined VV. Meaning Virgo Virginum - Virgin of Virgins - and a protective mark often found in house beams.  A "witch mark" to protect a site.

It looks like all lads had penknives with them, back in the day . . .

A more serious momento from these chaps, the year before WWI broke out.  

Llewelyn ap Gruffudd - or Llewlyn the Last - was Prince of Gwynedd between 1255 and 1282.  He proclaimed himself Prince of Wales in 1258.  Henry III of ENgland recognized him thus in 1267, in the Treaty of Montgomery.  Sadly there were so many different factions warring in Wales and his brother Dafydd was aligned with the English, and land-holdings granted him caused problems.  Wikipedia tells the story with greater alactrity than me, especially at 2.20 a.m. (I can't sleep).  

The tale of Llewelyn's demise at Cilmeri involves him having his horse shod by the blacksmith at Aberwedw, the shoes being put on backwards to confuse anyone following his trail.  Unfortunately he didn't get to meet up with his Army and was struck down and killed at Cilmeri.  There is a stone raised in his memory.  He was decapitated and his head washed in a spring there .  It was sent to London and crowned with Ivy (to show he was a King of the rebels and a mockery of the prophecy which said a Welshman would be crowned in London as King of the whole of Britain).  It ended up on the Tower of London for at least 15 years.  His body is believed to have been buried at Abbey Cwm Hir, which is about 8 or 10 miles beyond Llandod.

Well, I shall go back to bed now and try to sleep and not worry about bills and how to pay them.

Shattered! and Prince of Wales, Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, d. 1282

 I had a really LOVELY morning, exploring Aberedw (church, motte and bailey castle and then Llewellyn's cave) with friend Pam.  Amazed that I could manage the quite steep hills, esp. after not exercising much during these heat waves.  Cave was brilliant (HAD to see that because it stars in the new Barbara Erskine book, The Valley of Ravens).

I will answer all your lovely comments tomorrow - am off to bed now (8.40 pm!) as spent all afternoon preparing for tomorrow's fair, watering round etc.  I didn't even bake - so the people I share a room with tomorrow will be disappointed.  Although I do have a Lemon Drizzle cake in the freezer . . .  I will leave you with one photo of the cave, from the outside . . . Billy, church it ain't but it used to be home for hermits, so has a religious connection and lots of fabulous graffiti . . .

What is the point of blogging?

 

Either Blogger is not updating my posts, or no-one is bothering to reply to them.  Either way it makes blogging seem just a little bit pointless, so I shall have a break and finish reading my book, which is set around Builth and Aberedw and Cilmeri!!  If you know anything about Welsh history, you will know that this involves Llewellyn ap Gruffudd, who died across the valley from me at Cilmeri.  Said book arrived yesterday and I am 100 pages in already :)  

Wasp central

 We were only saying at the weekend, where were the Wasps?  We hadn't seen any all summer.  Well, they must have been on their hols, as they all arrived at my house today and have set up home behind the panelling in my sewing room.  Tam called my attention to a sound like paper being scrunched.  It was coming from the edge of the window.  I thought it might be bats, she Googled it and came up with Hornets or Wasps or mice.  It was amazingly loud for Wasps so I thought Hornets.  Then later I saw a constant procession of Wasps at gutter height . . .

Right, let's see how long it takes Google to put this post up . . .

It's Rip-off time

The white blob is the Egret flying away.

 I had my annual NHS eye check up yesterday.  It was deemed that there was a small change in my reading glass prescription, so we agreed to have new lenses put in my nearly-new specs to save money buying another pair of frames.  (Nearly new as the current prescription on them wasn't comfortable for me - I've been wearing my 4 yr old glasses/prescription as perfectly good and comfy as a pair of old slippers!)  Anyway, there was me thinking, at least that will have saved some money, and then the receptionist worked out the cost, and it was £183!!!  I nearly fell on the floor in a swoon.  £46 odd came off as the NHS charge for the check up, but even so . . .  How would I like to pay?  I thought grimly, the word like didn't come into it!  I was so shocked I said I would have to pay it in two lots, and used my credit card for £50.  Then realized it was the old one I couldn't use now I'd done a balance transfer, as this had a 28% APR!  I was kicking myself all the way to my sewing class and back.  Tam arrived at home just as I got back and checked out the details on the bill, to find I had been - mistakenly - charged over £48 per lens for scratch proof glare proof glass.  They are reading glasses - I don't even use them outside!  So I went and cancelled everything, got a refund and now have to wait for my specs to be returned as they went off with the courier.  I will get them fettled elsewhere, as I have my prescription.

Tam and Rosie are here, which is lovely.  It is cooler and was spitting a bit with rain just now (not holding my breath for a good rainfall though everywhere desperately needs it).  

My 12 cucumber plants in the polytunnel seem to be a batchelor community as despite regular watering and pollinating by me with a paintbrush, there is just ONE cucumber.  

I managed to get the other child's Windsor chair oiled last night and will polish it today.  The head fell off the little paintbrush I was using and after I fished it out of the bottle of Boiled Linseed Oil, I put it on the edge of the path to fix back on today.  Just been out and something has eaten it!

Rosie got very tired last night  - I went upstairs with her to clean her teeth, and then she went and sat in the middle of the guest bed.  I left the room for literally seconds, only to hear a yell and a big thump as she had bounced off the bed head first onto the floor.  I was literally just out of the door!  Then downstairs she was rocking on her rocking horse and went too mad and it reared with her and she fell off and landed on the back of her head and was inconsolable for about 5 minutes.  I was very relieved to see her ok this morning.  

So, a quiet day is planned today.  "Glanma" needs it as much as Rosie!  

I checked Rightmove yesterday to see if my b-in-law's house had been put on the market yet.  It had, and indeed was sold.  Looking through the photos of it empty, with all the furniture out and carpets removed, it looked shabby and dated (1970s house).  Rod had been it since new and put in a lovely big fireplace with a faux-fire and a swimming pool which my three put to good use.  The end of an era.